Sexton celebrates off-field success as profits hit €1.6m

And the star Irish No 10 displayed some nifty footwork off the pitch himself last year to increase profits at his company to almost €1.6m.

New accounts lodged by Sexton’s Jas Management & Promotions Ltd show that profits at the company increased by €28,719 from €1.567m to €1.596m in the 12 months to the end of September last.

The profits last year are quite modest compared to the profits of €431,788 earned by Sexton’s firm in 2017.

However, this is partly explained by the company directors, Sexton and his wife, Laura enjoying almost a sevenfold increase in pay from the firm going from €22,350 in 2016 to €150,864 last year. During the same period the company’s cash pile increased by just under €100,000 going from €1.1469m to €1.2463m. The value of the company’s investments also increased during the year going from €351,729 to €376,773.

Sexton, who turned 33 last month, was a relative latecomer to the international scene and has been making up for lost time in the commercial world.

The almost €1.6m in accumulated profits at Sexton’s firm compares to accumulated profits of €476,099 at the firm at the end of 2014.

Sexton has enjoyed a stellar 2017/18 season where he led Ireland to a Grand Slam and Leinster to a European Cup.

Currently, Sexton’s off-field commercial deals are being guided by Conor Ridge’s Horizon Sports where Sexton is the firm’s most high-profile client – other clients include Munster’s Peter O’Mahony and golfer, Shane Lowry.

Horizon Sports had a very public falling out with superstar golfer Rory McIlroy where an out-of-court agreement in February 2015 in Dublin resulted in Horizon Sports receiving a reported €21.8m ($25m) from the golfer.

The Dubliner is the most successful current Irish rugby star from a playing and commercial point of view.

But he has some way to go to match the commercial success of his former retired Leinster and Ireland team-mate Brian O’Driscoll whose main firm enjoyed profits last year of €880,913 to result in accumulated profits of €5.94m.

Sexton is one of a number of rugby players with their own management companies to handle earnings from ventures such as sponsorships and image rights.